Use of aminonitrile N-oxides as bleach activators

Abstract

Use of compounds of the formula where the radicals R1, R2 and A are as defined in the description, as bleach activators in bleaching detergents and cleaners.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for bleaching textile or paper comprising the step of contacting said textile or paper with a composition comprising a peroxide compound and an aminonitrile N-oxide or salts thereof of the formula ##STR5## in which R 1  and R 2  independently of one another are substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl or aryl radicals which may be substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxy, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxycarbonyl, amino, ammonium, carboxyl, cyano or cyanamino, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a ring having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms which may be substituted by C 1  -C 5  -alkyl, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxy, C 1  -C 5  -alkanoyl, phenyl, amino, ammonium, cyano, cyanamino, chlorine or bromine, wherein said ring may contain, in addition to the nitrogen atom and instead of --CH 2  -- groups, one or two oxygen atoms or a group ##STR6## in which R 3  is hydrogen, C 1  -C 7  -alkyl or cycloalkyl, phenyl or C 7  -C 9  -alkylaryl, and A is a C 1  -C 5  -alkylene or a C 5  -C 10  -cycloalkylene. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises from 0.05 to 20% by weight of said aminonitrile N-oxide or salt thereof. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises from 1 to 60% by weight of said peroxide compound. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said peroxide compound is selected from the group consisting of a perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persilicate, monopersulfate, urea peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a bleach activator which is not an aminonitrile N-oxide or salt thereof. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a surfactant. 
     
     
       7. A process for cleaning surfaces or textiles comprising the step of contacting said surfaces or textiles with a composition comprising a peroxide compound, a surfactant, and an aminonitrile N-oxide or salts thereof of the formula ##STR7## in which R 1  and R 2  independently of one another are substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl or aryl radicals which may be substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxy, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxycarbonyl, amino, ammonium, carboxyl, cyano or cyanamino, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a ring said ring having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms which may be substituted by C 1  -C 5  -alkyl, C 1  -C 5  -alkoxy, C 1  -C 5  -alkanoyl, phenyl, amino, ammonium, cyano, cyanamino, chlorine or bromine, wherein said ring may contain, in addition to the nitrogen atom and instead of --CH 2  -- groups, one or two oxygen atoms or a group ##STR8## in which R 3  is hydrogen, C 1  -C 7  -alkyl or cycloalkyl, phenyl or C 7  -C 9  -alkylaryl, and A is a C 1  -C 5  -alkylene or a C 5  -C 10  -cycloalkylene. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 7 wherein said aminonitrile N-oxide or salt thereof is present in said composition at from 0.05 to 20% by weight. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 7 wherein said peroxide compound is present in an amount of from 1 to 60% by weight. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 7 wherein said peroxide compound is selected from the group consisting of perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persilicate, monopersulfate, urea peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 7 wherein said composition further comprises a bleach activator other than said aminonitrile N-oxide or salt thereof.